Defending 180 points in Monte Carlo, so will fall back to #3 for Madrid if he doesn't make the QFs there. Murray will also lose 90 in Barcelona.

However Federer is defending 1000 points in Madrid, Murray is defending 0, so great chance there to make up some ground - even without winning a match, Federer stands to lose 400+ points if he fails to defend his title, and given he only won it last year after Djokovic and Nadal bounced out on the blue surface, that seems quite likely. Federer defending 360 in Rome, Murray defending just 90.

Murray defending just 360 points over the clay, Federer 1360.

Worth remembering that Murray lost to Berdych, Raonic, Gasquet and Ferrer last year on the clay; didn't even make the semis of any event. So being #2 might not make much difference anyway, unless he can get past the 5-16 ranked players.

Please - can we just let Andy, and ourselves, enjoy him being No.2 even if it is only for a short spell? That said I can see Andy being very keen to hang onto that ranking after everything he's put into achieving it, including today's win, so I'm expecting better from him on clay this year. After all, he's been saying that that's what he's been focussing on since the AO - and also last year he a back problem which troubled him before RG.

Andy Murray: “It's taking a little while to sink in, because it's tough to think really at the end of the match. It was so tough physically and mentally, that you were just trying to play each point. I think it was an exciting match. I don't think either of us played our best tennis. There was a lot of breaks and ups and downs, quite a lot of mistakes from both of us. But what I did do was fight hard and showed good mental strength to get through that match, because it easily could have slipped away from me.”

On jumping to World No. 2: “For me, it doesn't change a huge amount, but the fact that I'm moving up the [Emirates ATP] rankings is a good sign. I have been winning a lot of matches. My consistency has been better over the last few months. The rankings obviously reflect that. So I will try and keep working hard during the clay and hopefully, I can go higher.”

David Ferrer: “I know it was a very good chance for me to win Miami. It's very difficult to win. There will be another situation like today, but my life doesn’t change for one match. I need to work hard and to be focused for the next tournaments.”

On incorrectly challenging a call on match point: “It was a very close match. I had my chance on the match point. The ball, it was really close. I saw it out… I [made] my decision in that moment. It's a bad moment now. I don't want to think anymore about that. I want to forget as [fast] as possible.”

You've got to feel a bit sorry for Ferrer - he'll probably be having nightmares about that MP for a while to come.

Ruthie, I am sorry but I disagree with the fact that it speeds up Nadal, as at IW I counted the seconds between points. He took 45, 32, 30 and so on and nothing was said. I do not think it is going to work unless it applies to everyone. I thought the idea was to now make it apply to everyone. I have yet to see this happening. As I have not been able to watch the match yet, spent the afternoon with new granddaughter ( had 5 grandsons before this), I had not realised that Ferrer had taken a long time between points.

Indeed a memorable match for different reasons: Andy was primarily fighting for a Masters Title he had not won for many months, and on top of it for No 2 spot. Andy went into the match as the clear favourite on HC, yet could not really live up to it. The first set was a disaster even when Andy is known to be a slow starter. You cannot always hope to make things even in the course of a match. With Nole it did not work last year. Then this bizarre third set with six breaks and never the security of one player holding serve. And both of them, said to belong to the fittest on tour, struggling visibly like knocked boxers. I missed winners to cheer at, instead the rallies mostly ended in errors. Strangely, the statistics noticed some winners (more for Andy). And on top of it a one-way TB where David had the same chances as Andy yet melted inexplicably away. I must admit more than once I doubted a successful outcome of the match. So therefore hats off to Andy who did not give up on himself even when things did not go as he wished. I am a happy fan.

It was a difficult match to watch (agree wirh all of them: adb...oh) , just wondering what was going on....

I really do like the result; the win and the no 2 position, it's another step forward again!!!!

The humidity and temperature, the slow courts (?) doesn't explain the 5-0 down from the first set, you would have think Andy had a home advantage, and I couldn't see that...

After all, very proud he was able to keep the focus again and again, also in the third match when he was broken back (four?) times after he broke Ferrer. He did grumble less than he would have done before, so lots of things to be happy with...

I read this tweet by Roddick after the Miami Final 'Conditions too slow. Guys dying playing 3 sets. So slow. Makes it impossible to hit winners which results in messed up winners/error ratio!'Also if you heard what the coms in the studio said, that when you have the heat, humidity and windy conditions and the long rallies, that their legs would be tired and they would be unable to push up for the serve. The stats show the winner/unforced error ratio was about the same.When you look at all the media commitment Andy had to do after that match it was eye watering as he was struggling to walk at least he had a swim during the photo shoot. At least David Ferrer didn't have to face the after match work with the media. It was good to see Andy Isles back with the team. Hope they all had a good meal and that Andy will have a good rest.

I read this tweet by Roddick after the Miami Final 'Conditions too slow. Guys dying playing 3 sets. So slow. Makes it impossible to hit winners which results in messed up winners/error ratio!'Also if you heard what the coms in the studio said, that when you have the heat, humidity and windy conditions and the long rallies, that their legs would be tired and they would be unable to push up for the serve. The stats show the winner/unforced error ratio was about the same.When you look at all the media commitment Andy had to do after that match it was eye watering as he was struggling to walk at least he had a swim during the photo shoot. At least David Ferrer didn't have to face the after match work with the media. It was good to see Andy Isles back with the team. Hope they all had a good meal and that Andy will have a good rest.

Thats an interesting comment from one who knows a bit about the facts and conditions. I was obvious that two of the fittest ATP players that normally can endure 5-setters were wilting after 2 just sets. The match could've been played later in the day (less heat) but for the damn US sports channels that cover other sports that day. However, we have to accept that their biggest national sports get priority over tennis, nothing to be done about that.

A re-surfacing needed? We have to remember though that Andy is well used to the court, it's his training base when in Miami, so he knows the surface well. I'm sure practise sessions cannot replicate a real match, as Andy says so many times.

Ruthie, I am sorry but I disagree with the fact that it speeds up Nadal, as at IW I counted the seconds between points. He took 45, 32, 30 and so on and nothing was said. I do not think it is going to work unless it applies to everyone. I thought the idea was to now make it apply to everyone. I have yet to see this happening. As I have not been able to watch the match yet, spent the afternoon with new granddaughter ( had 5 grandsons before this), I had not realised that Ferrer had taken a long time between points.

Thanks for the correction Tamila. Yes my understanding was that it should apply to everyone not least the likes of Nadal and Nole. So that's disappointing. It really does need looking at again. A more generous and realistic time limit, applied to everyone, (but perhaps with discretion after a really long gruelling rally?) would be better.

Tmh: thanks for 'the race' rankings. Very interesting and encouraging as it suggests that Andy has done really well indeed especially when taking account of number of matches played.

On thinking about it this morning, I really do feel that awful as the match was - I personally didn't find it entertaining at all, it may mark a milestone. In other matches of that type he has rolled over a few times. He obviously wasn't enjoying himself out there, but he stuck with it. Whatever the discussions he has with Lendl after it, (it does sound like the condition were impeding the tennis, rather than the players being particularly bad), he will be able to report to Lendl "you said it was important to win the last point, and so I did". I don't think Lendl will be too hard on him. I have never seen Murray and Ferrer so wrecked at the end if a match. Murray could barely walk at the end of the US Open final, but he didn't look so completely exhausted as he did yesterday. It reminded me of that match against Tipsaravic? last year, when he was cramping or dehydrated. It is also comforting to us to see that it is not just Mr M who louses up match points didn't Fed miss several against DJ in a US Open Final?). To tough it out in those conditions was impressive. Ferrer must be completely gutted, he should have won that match. He seemed to implode mentally and physically after missing that match point, whereas Murray seemed to think I git away with that I better win now. The tie break was a heck of a time for him to remember how to play tennis...!!! Congratulations to Mr M, and stuff all the doubters - (including me this time). I really thought after Ferrer held his serve for the first time in the final set, it was over and took the dog out in a huff. Coming back to find Ferrer at match point didn't improve my mood. I am still staggered he pulled it off.

For the first time in his career Andy Murray saved a match point in an ATP World Tour final. It was also the first time Murray came back from a set down in a semi-final and final to win an ATP World Tour title.

• LONGEST FINALS -- Since the tournament has played a best-of-three sets final (1991-96, 2003-current), this was the second-longest in match time (2:45), only behind the Djokovic-Nadal final two years ago (3:22).